Conveyor apparatus for individual supports

ABSTRACT

Conveying apparatus includes a plurality of holders arranged to carry supports or trays in a horizontal position. The holders are moved in horizontal paths in upper and lower levels and in inclined paths between levels while the trays are maintained in horizontal positions at all points. Each holder is comprised of two pivotally engaged plates. One plate is connected to a conveyor track while the other plate holds the tray. Inclined tracks engage pins on the tray holding plate to keep the tray horizontal while the conveyor track plate turns angularly with respect to the tray holding plate. The tray holding plate has spring biased bars arranged to engage trays as they are automatically fed on to the tray holders one at a time.

United States Patent Cahn [15] 3,655,031 [451 Apr. 11, 1972 [54] CONVEYOR APPARATUS FOR INDIVIDUAL SUPPORTS [21] Appl. No: 55,525

Primary Examiner-Edward A. Sroka Attorney-Edward H. Loveman [57] ABSTRACT Conveying apparatus includes a plurality of holders arranged to carry supports or trays in a horizontal position. The holders are moved in horizontal paths in upper and lower levels and in inclined paths between levels while the trays are maintained in [52] F' 'i "198/ 6 4 horizontal positions at all points. Each holder is comprised of 2; 'I i two pivotally engaged plates. One plate is connected to a con- 1 0 can 198/1 I veyor track while the other plate holds the tray. Inclined tracks engage pins on the tray holding plate to keep the tray horizontal while the conveyor track plate turns angularly with [56] References Cited respect to the tray holding plate The tray holding plate has n- STATES PATENTS spring biased bars arranged to engage traysas they are auto- 3 495 545 2,1970 Radovic 198/137 matically fed on to the tray holders one at a time. '7701523 9/1904 Haley 198/137 7 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures 1 I8 62 66 t 36 a e 37 29 a I0 64 I4 72 Iii v e e I8 a i 46 t 60 a i 925 30 l s9 3O PATENTEDAPR H I912 3655.031

sum 1 OF 3 INVENTOR. FIGZ ROBERT L. CAHN ATTORNFY PATENTEDAPRH I972 3,655,031

sum 2 OF 3 FIG3 INVENTOR. ROBERT L. CAHN A TTORNE Y PATENTEDAPR 11 I972 3,655,031

SHEET 3 [1F 3 FIG. 9

I N VEN TOR. ROBERT L. CAHN ATTORNEY CONVEYOR APPARATUS FOR INDIVIDUAL SUPPORTS This invention relates to the art of conveyor apparatus and delivery systems, and more particularly concerns conveyor apparatus having improved facilities for carry supports or trays from one vertical plane to another vertical plane during which time the trays are maintained in a horizontal plane.

The invention involves improvements over those described in my prior US. Pat. Nos. 3,295,635 and 3,366,199 relating to tray carrier and delivery systems. I-Ieretofore, it has been known to convey trays in a horizontal path by a conveyor installed in an elevated position close to the ceiling of an aircraft fuselage. A serious problem arises when many trays have to be loaded on such an elevated conveyor, because it is very awkward, difficult, time consuming and hazardous to place food and other articles on an empty tray which is supported close to a ceiling. It is just as difficult to mount loaded trays on an elevated conveyor. Similarly, when trays loaded with soiled dishes, cutlery and refuse return to an' unloading position in a galley of an airplane, it is very difficult, time consuming, awkward and hazardous to remove the soiled trays from the elevated conveyor.

The present invention is directed at overcoming this situation by providing a tray conveyor which carries trays in an elevated position while moving through a passenger compartment or dinner service area and which descends to carry the trays at a lower elevation while passing through a loading or unloading position in a galley or kitchen. The present apparatus solves the problem of keeping trays in a horizontal position, at all times while in upper and lower levels and while passing between the levels by means of a holder which is guided on a track and is comprised of two pivotally mounted plates. One plate is connected to a conveyor track while the other plate holds the tray. Additionally pins on the tray holding plate engage supplementary tracks and thereby maintain the tray in a horizontal plane while the conveyor belt plate moves angularly with respect to the tray in traveling from one level to another. Another feature of the invention involves facilities which permit automatic loading of trays on the conveyor.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide a conveyor apparatus for carrying supports or trays along upper and lower levels or paths and which maintain the trays in a horizontal position at all times.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a conveyor apparatus with tray holders each having two relatively turnable parts, one part being engaged with a conveyor and angularly movable therewith as the trays move from one elevation to another while the other part carrying the tray is maintained stationary relative to the turntable part so that the tray remains horizontal.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a conveyor apparatus, wherein special tracks are provided to guide the tray holder which carries the trays so that the trays remain horizontal while the trays are moved from one elevation to another.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a conveyor apparatus wherein the tray holders have movable spring loaded member engaging the trays to facilitate loading and unloading of the trays from the conveyor.

These and other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of part of a conveyor apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing tray holders passing between upper and lower levels of the conveyor;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevational view of another portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing tray holders at a lower level;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along lines 4-: ofFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken along lines 7-7 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a reduced plan view of part of the apparatus showing a tray loading position where empty trays are automatically mounted in tray holders;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout, there is illustrated in FIG. 1, part of a tray conveyor apparatus in which tray holders generally designated as reference numeral 10 move in succession along horizontal paths in an upper level L1 and a lower level L2. The tray holders may be loacted at the lower level in a galley or kitchen where food, utensils and other articles may easily and conveniently be placed on any one of a plurality of trays 12. While the apparatus is in operation, the tray holders descend from the upper level to the lower level into the galley area and ascend from the lower level to the upper level into a service area. Although in FIG. 1 this sequence of movement is depicted as being left to right, it is obvious that the conveyor movement may be reversed to bring the soiled trays back from the tray service area shown at the right. In FIG. 1 there is also illustrated a tray loading area which may be located at the left part of the conveyor to feed into the galley. The manner in which the tray holders and trays are conveyed and maintained in a horizontal position both while ascending and descending will be described in connection with FIGS. 2-7 to which reference is now made.

Each tray holder 10 is comprised of two parts, a track plate 14 and a tray plate 16. The plates 14, 16 are rotatable one to another, around a bearing bushing 22 which surrounds a bolt 18 (FIG. 4). The bolt 18 is secured to the plates by means of a nut 19 and a washer 20. As shown in FIG. 4 a ledge 21 is fastened by conventional means to a wall 40 and carries a frictionless gasket 23 which bears against the lower face 15 of the tray plate 16. The ledge 21 extends alongside the horizontal path of the tray holders and during the initial portion of the ascent and descent of the track plate 14 as will hereinafter be more fully described. A support 31 which is mounted to the wall 40 maintains theplate 14 parallel to the tray plate 16 when a heavy load is placed on the tray 12. If desired a frictionless gasket such as 23 or a lubricant may be placed at the contact point of the track plate 14 and the support 31. The

tray plate 16 has a pair of spaced pins 25 at each comer, with each of the pins 25 being axially movable in a bore 26. The

pins 25 are yieldably held against a face 24 of the track plate 16 by respective springs 28 in the respective bores 26. When the tray holders 10 are moving in horizontal paths at the upper and the lower levels L1 and L2 respectively, the pins 25 as hereinabove described engage the face 24 of the track place 16 and the ledge 21 insures that the tray plate will remain in a horizontal plane.

The track plate 14 of each tray holder 10 has horizontally and vertically spaced arms 32 (FIG. 4) terminating in heads 34 secured to upper and lower courses of a toothed conveyor belt 36 engaged on a plurality of sprockets 38 joumaled to rotate at a side wall 40. One or more of these sprockets are driven by a motor or motors (not shown). The belt 36 moves horizontally in the tray loading, galley and tray service areas but moves in an inclined vertical path between the galley and adjacent areas. Ends of plates 14 (FIG. 2) are joined together by short flexible cables or links 37 which permit articulated movement between the tray holders 10.

The tray plate 16 of each tray holder 10 has a horizontal bottom ledge 42 extending outwardly to the right as viewed in FIG. 4 to support the tray 12 which is formed with a rounded molded upwardly turned lip or edge 44 extending all around the tray 12, (FIG. 4). The lip or edge 44 of the tray 12 is adapted to be engaged under a formed groove 58 of a horizontal bar 46 which is movably mounted at the side of the tray plate 16. The bar 46 as best shown in FIGS. 3 and is joined to vertical slide rods 49 via pins 48 which are slidable in a slot 54 (FIG. 5). The rods 49 are vertically slidable in bores 50 of the tray plate 14 and have springs 52 at the upper ends of the rods 49 to urge the rods downwardly so that the rods 49 bear on the bottom 55 of the bore 50 in the plate 16, when the bottom edge of the bar 46 rests on a ledge 56 fon'ned at the side of the tray plate 16. The ledge 42 and the bar 46 have beveled ends 59, 60 respectively as clearly shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 8, and 9.

In order to guide the tray holders so that trays 12 remain horizontal while moving between the upper and the lower levels L1, L2 and vice versa, there are provided two pairs of T- shaped curved rails with one pair 62, 64 disposed at the left end of the galley position illustrated in FIG. 1 and another pair 63, 65 oppositely curved and located at the right end of the galley position. Rails 62 and 63 are located over the tray holders 10 and the rails 64 and 65 are located below the tray holders. Each rail is comprised of a flat flange 66 which is secured by bolts 68 and horizontal spacers 70 to a wall 40 (FIGS. 2 and 10). A flange 72 on each rail extends perpendicular to the plane of the flange 66 and is disposed in the same vertical plane as the track plates 14. The flanges 72 fit between the adjacent spaced comer pins 25 extending from the upright tray plates 16 when the track plates 14 are turned with respect to the plates 16 to follow the inclined courses of the belt 36 between the horizontal upper and lower levels L1, L2 respectively. The flanges 72 of the rails serve as tracks to guide the upward or downward movement of the plates 16 and to keep them relatively stationary with respect to a horizontal plane when the plates 14 turn in their vertical plane to incline their upper and lower edges 29, 30. The upper and lower edges 29, 30 of the plates 16 remain horizontal at all times. The pins 25 are urged against the flanges 66 by the springs 28 (FIG. 10).

As the tray holders 10 move in a horizontal path to the upper or the lower level L1, L2, the pins 25 are held against the face 24 of the track plate 16 as above mentioned. When the tray holders 10 are to move to or from the galley, e.g., to a different vertical level, and the track plates begin to turn (clockwise downwardly if leaving the tray loading area and counterclockwise upwardly if leaving the galley) the ledge 21, which extends for a short distance beyond the point the track plates begin turning to ascent or descend, prevents the tray plates 16 from rotating. However, the track plates 14 rotate such that the pins 25 at diagonally opposite comers of the plate 16 engage on opposite sides of the flange 72. Thus as shown in FIG. 2, the flanges 72 of the rails 62, 64 engage between the pairs of pins 25 at the upper right and lower left comer of the tray plates 16. Similarly the flanges 72 of the rails 63, 65, shown in FIG. 1, engage between the pins at the upper left and lower right corners of the tray plates 16. By this arrangement as the tray holders 10 are drawn along in one direction or another by belt 36, the pins 25 of the tray plates 16 are automatically extended to engage and be guided by the rails 62-65 at the end of a horizontal path where the tray holders start an inclined ascent or descent. Similarly, the pins 25 are automatically retracted to abut the faces 24 of the track plates 14 as the track plates 14 turn to register with the tray plates 16 at the end of an inclined ascent or descent where the tray holders then start moving in a horizontal path.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate the way in which a series of the trays 12 are engaged in succession automatically upon tray holders 10 while they move in a horizontal path. The trays 12 are conveyed on a conveyor belt 75, having a plurality of spaced pins 77 which insure a positive movement of the tray. A deflection shield 78 is supported from the wall 40 and is positioned above the conveyor 75 to guide the trays 12 onto the tray holders 10, as will now be described. As belt 75 and tray holders 10 move to the left as indicated by arrow A and B in FIG. 8, the deflection shield 78 guides tray 12 until a corner of the rolled lip or edge 44 of one tray 12' engages the movable bar 46 on tray holder 10' and raises this bar. Further movement of the belt 75 and the tray 12' cause the bar to fully engage on the tray 12 since the tray moves laterally to abut the tray plate 16 while the bar 46 snaps over the lip 44 of the tray. As illustrated, tray 12" is fully engaged between the bar 46 of tray holder 10" and ledge 42 of the tray plate 16'. At this point conveyor belt 75 slips free of tray 12". The tray may then be advanced to the galley area for loading with food, utensils and other articles.

It will be apparent that the apparatus thus includes arrangements for loading trays automatically on the tray holders and for keeping the trays horizontal at all times while in loaded and unloaded condition. Furthermore, the tray holders are movable between upper and lower levels for convenience in loading and unloading articles on and off the trays in the lower level. When the loaded trays are in the upper level they may be removed easily by pulling them laterally inward away from the tray holder. The bars 46 will yield to snap from the engaged lips of the trays while the trays remain horizontal. The trays loaded with soiled articles may be pushed back on the tray holders manually while in the upper level for return to the galley area.

The invention is applicable to systems where endless conveyors are installed such as described in my prior patents above mentioned. It is also applicable to many other conveyor systems where articles are to be conveyed in a combined horizontal and vertical path. It should be understood that although the pins 25 and the rails 62-65 stabilize the tray plate 16, when the trackplate 14 is ascending or descending, the pins 25 may also be used to lock the plates 14 and 16 when the plates are moving in a horizontal path by providing mating recesses in the face 24 of the track plate 14 in which case the ledge 21 or means for transferring the horizontal guidance of tray plate 16 need only extend at the ends of the horizontal path.

It should be understood that the foregoing relates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for the purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention claimed is:

l. Conveying apparatus comprising a plurality of interconnected holders arranged to support articles in a horizontal position; means for moving said holders in horizontal paths at an upper and lower level and in inclined paths between said upper and said lower level;

stabilizing means for keeping said articles horizontal at all points in said horizontal and inclined paths;

said holder comprising a pair of plates disposed and parallel to each other in a vertical plane,

pivot means joining said plates so that one plate is rotatable with respect to the other plate in a vertical plane; and wherein said stabilizing means comprises plate engaging means in said other plates, and

guide means for coupling to said engaging means when said holders are moving along said inclined paths.

2. Conveying apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said plate engaging means comprises biasing means carried by said other plate of each holder and wherein said guide means comprises stationary track means located adjacent said inclined paths and coupling with said biasing means to keep said other plate horizontal with respect to said one plate.

3. Conveying apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising transfer means engaging said other plate of said pair of plates to hold said other plate in a horizontal position relative to said one plate when said one plate initially ascends to said upper level or descends to said lower level.

is on said ledge. 6. Conveying apparatus as defined in claim 5 further comprisinga carrier for articles disposed adjacent one of said horizontal paths and for engaging one article at a time with a different holder.

7. Conveying apparatus as defined in claim I, further comprising a carrying means disposed adjacent one of said horizontal paths and arranged to engage automatically one article at a time on a different holder. 

1. Conveying apparatus comprising a plurality of interconnected holders arranged to support articles in a horizontal position; means for moving said holders in horizontal paths at an upper and lower level and in inclined paths between said upper and said lower level; stabilizing means for keeping said articles horizontal at all points in said horizontal and inclined paths; said holder comprising a pair of plates disposed and parallel to each other in a vertical plane, pivot means joining said plates so that one plate is rotatable with respect to the other plate in a vertical plane; and wherein said stabilizing means comprises plate engaging means in said other plates, and guide means for coupling to said engaging means when said holders are moving along said inclined paths.
 2. Conveying apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said plate engaging means comprises biasing means carried by said other plate of each holder and wherein said guide means comprises stationary track means located adjacent said inclined paths and coupling with said biasing means to keep said other plate horizontal with respect to said one plate.
 3. Conveying apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising transfer means engaging said other plate of said pair of plates to hold said other plate in a horizontal position relative to said one plate when said one plate initially ascends to said upper level or descends to said lower level.
 4. Conveying apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising clamping means on each of said other plates for removably holding an article in a horizontal position.
 5. Conveying apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a ledge on each of said other plates for supporting an article thereon in a horizontal position; and a movable bar on each of said other plates disposed to releaseably engage said article so that article may be engaged by and removed from said holder when said article is on said ledge.
 6. Conveying apparatus as defined in claim 5 further comprising a carrier for articles disposed adjacent one of said horizontal paths and for engaging one article at a time with a different holder.
 7. Conveying apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a carrying means disposed adjacent one of said horizontal paths and arranged to engage automatically one article at a time on a different holder. 